Stripped screw removal - advice needed!

imalrightjack

Hi,

Trying to remove a small screw which retains the input jack on a guitar and the head is totally stripped. I've tried using a rubber band for traction and applying a dab of superglue (pressing in the screw driver, holding for a while, then turning) with no joy.

Any helpful advice?

streethawk

Could grind a slot into it.

imalrightjack

streethawk said:

Could grind a slot into it.

I don't have special tools. What would need?

ESBlonde

Is this a dome head screw and could you use a junior hacksaw to cut a slot in the head and use a flat blade screwdriver?
Are you using a quality, correct size screwdriver as it is, cheap  and worn tips will do damage and a new correctly sized blade will have better bite. The screwdriver that came with some flat pack furniture will do more damage than good.
It is possible to edge out a bolt or screw with great care and not a little time. put an old flatblade screwdriver on the side of the head angled in the anticlockwise (undo) direction and tap it. It is wise to mask off the area of the guitar first as slippage is almost certain. repeat this excercise a number of times and very very slowly the screw will reverse out. Once a part revolution has happened a normal screwdriver will probably work.
Grabbing the head with some quality pliers and twisting might also render success, but beware of snapping of the head completely, probably best left as a last resort.
On mechanical bolts that are seized, it is sometimes beneficial to hit the head with a hammer a couple of times to loosen the threads a bit, I'm not sure if that quite works with wood screws.

guitars4you

streethawk said:

Could grind a slot into it.

gently with a hack saw - or can you turn it with a pair of pliers

ESBlonde

Junior hacksaws seem to pop up in pound shops, probably good enough for the one job.

paulnb57

could you create a flat type screwdriver slot with a junior hacksaw or a dremel disc? or tap with a centre punch off centre then use the punch to start tapping it round, heat with a soldering iron first, it helps loosen the grip, in fact try that first, my socket set has a choice of philips drivers, perhaps a different profile driver might grip eough to get it moving........
Ive got a screw broken off dead flush on a birds eye maple headstock, damned if i know how to shift it without ruining the headstock face.....

impmann

Heat it with a soldering iron (if smoke appears from behind the screw its working) is a good tip. However, you sometimes wreck the thread it screws into - meaning you need to block it up with a matchstick/cocktail stick and redrill.Not the end of the world.

imalrightjack

I'll report back! Thank you.

guitars4you

impmann said:

Heat it with a soldering iron (if smoke appears from behind the screw its working) is a good tip. However, you sometimes wreck the thread it screws into - meaning you need to block it up with a matchstick/cocktail stick and redrill.Not the end of the world.

not heard that one before so thanks

impmann

guitars4you said:

impmann said:

Heat it with a soldering iron (if smoke appears from behind the screw its working) is a good tip. However, you sometimes wreck the thread it screws into - meaning you need to block it up with a matchstick/cocktail stick and redrill.Not the end of the world.

not heard that one before so thanks

Just in case anyone is foolish enough to try it... don't try this on scratchplate screws or anything plastic! ;-)

underdog

Yeah a little heat should help enough to be able to get at it with pliers

guitars4you

impmann said:

Heat it with a soldering iron (if smoke appears from behind the screw its working) is a good tip. However, you sometimes wreck the thread it screws into - meaning you need to block it up with a matchstick/cocktail stick and redrill.Not the end of the world.

not heard that one before so thanks - sorry duplicate post so ignore

ICBM

Heat is definitely the right way - ideally you want to stop just before the smoke appears . You don't actually need to burn the wood - what should happen is that the hot metal expands and pushes the wood back, then cools and shrinks faster than the wood when you stop heating, so the screw comes loose and should be easy to turn.

You can even get out snapped-off screws where the shaft is buried in the wood like this if you're careful and use needle-nose pliers. Some damage to the wood is inevitable, but it will usually be hidden by whatever the screw attaches.

jumping@shadows

I make a screw extractor from a piece of miniature brass tubing (hobby stores sell it), file some teeth into a length then chuck it up in a hand drill and drill out the plug containing the broken off screw

WezV

jumping@shadows said:

I make a screw extractor from a piece of miniature brass tubing (hobby stores sell it), file some teeth into a length then chuck it up in a hand drill and drill out the plug containing the broken off screw

Yeah, this works well.

you will need to drill the head off first if the screw is holding a part in place. That's relatively easy and in many cases it leaves enough shaft poking up to use pliers (I often use an old worn out set of fret cutters because they grip well and let you get close with minimal risk)

heat is good if you can get a grip on the screw.  It's really good if you think the part has been glued (strap buttons, bridge bushings are the usual culprits)

i have never found the dremel method very successful, but it pays to have a few things you can try

imalrightjack

Hacksaw did the job. Need a new input jack cover but hey ho...

Cheers again.